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Help identify ribbons 1st Special Service Force


billl
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Beautiful ike jacket with these ribbons. I've identified the bronze star, Good conduct, and the American defense. But what are the other three?

 

Jacket is purported to be genuine, WWII vintage First Special Service Force, a joint US and Canadian group that was created and existed 1942-44.

 

Shop wants $100 for the jacket. Seems too cheap.post-24805-0-48121800-1402195242.jpg

post-24805-0-57936800-1402195331.jpg

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Top Row: Bronze Star, GCM, American Campaign; Bottom Row: American Defense, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign ribbon. The bronze arrowheads are for amphibious invasions.

 

Are the jump wings marked? The oval looks theater made and I believe would be correct for FSSF. Looks like a cool jacket.

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wings are not marked. No markings on jacket itself other than size 40.

 

ribbons look right, then, for this unit.

 

Where did you find those? Or do you just know them? I went to wiki but couldn't find but three of them.

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Looks like a nice jacket Bill--I hope you can pick it up! If I encountered it I definitely would. The patch looks ok to me.

-Johannes

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I think I can get it for 85 or 90. What do you think it might be worth? I suppose I'll admire it for

a while and resell it. The jacket is perfect, no mothing, marks, and no sign of having any other

patches than what are on it now, so I don't think it was modified / created later.

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Legion Para

The original ovals issued to the FSSF were US made. Even though theatre made ovals do exist, they are very rare.

 

The oval on this jacket is a definite fake.

post-151929-0-72288700-1402198206.jpg

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I would proceed with caution.The ovals are rare.....very rare.Theater made ones are very suspect.Never seen a real documented one on a uniform,in pictures or in the vets hands.I have seen "more "theatre"made ones than the US maded versions.Not saying some of the men may have had them made but all the theatrer ones I have encountered are just not real.If its real you won the lottery of ovals.

 

Plus Im not a big fan of the shoulder patch.I have never liked the ones with all the little white connecting thrads cetween the letters CANADA.Being sewn down you cant see the back.Maybe it would be possible to black light the white lettering or test a thread the patch was sewn on with.Here is a few from a group from a radio operator/repairman I knew personally.He wasnt jump qualified so no oval but he had a lot of patches and most all the variations to include the US,Italian and Morweigian made 474th.

 

You have the best advantage to look it over.I may be wrong but I recall there was a group at one time in Oregon who renacted FSSF??

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Legion Para

Proceeding with caution is excellent advice from doyler.

 

99.9% of the theatre made FSSF ovals you see are fake. To the best of my knowledge there are only three fully documented theatre made FSSF ovals known to exist.

 

As doyler points out even the original US made FSSF ovals are rare.

 

Based on the photographs you posted, I definitely would not buy this jacket.

post-151929-0-49561800-1402200831.jpg

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Eric Queen

Ron,

 

Thought you might like the official Force ID photos of Mr.Smith (in case you did not have them already)

A H Smith 1.jpg

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Eric

Thanks for adding the pictures.Had never seen these before.Also was very active in the association and early member as I recall.

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No worries Ron. If there are any other Forcemen whom you would like an ID photo of please let me know and I will see if I have it.

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